Better still, last April the Government launched a free swimming initiative which means that millions are taking the plunge for free!

The free swimming programme is in support of Change4Life, the nationwide movement to help everyone eat well, move more and live longer.

Nearly 300 councils in England offer free swimming as part of this scheme. If your nearest pool isn’t taking part, you can still swim for free at another participating pool. Each has different terms, so check these out before you go.

While some will simply ask for proof of age, others will issue a special card you’ll need to bring each time. They may also issue a small one-off charge to cover the cost of the card. You can swim for free as many times as you like.

So go on, splash out on the kids this half-term. Learning to swim is a potentially life-saving skill as well as being fantastic fun!